Three-dimensional angiographic imaging of leakage in branch retinal vein occlusion.
OBJECTIVE
Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is used to image branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) but lacks information about leakage dynamics and perfusion status. Topographical angiography (TAG) is capable of providing this information and has been described previously in age-related macular degeneration. This study evaluates TAG in BRVO.


METHODS
We included 56 eyes of 40 consecutive patients with BRVO and a reduction in central vision. Two groups were established based on whether argon laser coagulation was performed or not. A standardized follow-up was performed. The chorioretinal fluorescence pattern was reconstructed following TAG. Quantitative measurements were also performed.


RESULTS
TAG performed from indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) showed smaller lesion size (LS) compared to fluorescein angiography (FA) (mean difference: early phase = -1.6 mm(2), late phase = -1.8 mm(2)). The extent of mean LS from early to late phase increased by 0.8 mm(2) in FA and by 0.6 mm(2) in ICGA. TAG could visualize different degrees of leakage topographically.


CONCLUSIONS
TAG gives new insights into the pathophysiology of BRVO: it enables the visualization of dynamics of leakage and the demonstration of the effects of intravasal stasis. Furthermore, TAG is less impaired by masking phenomena than FA. Functional retinal imaging shows distinct advantages over OCT: quantification of leakage activity is possible using TAG.
Schmidt-Erfurth
Ursula Margarethe
UM
Department of Ophthalmology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria. ursula.schmidt-erfurth@meduniwien.ac.at
Stock
Geraldine
G
Pruente
Christian
C
Ahlers
Christian
C
D002199:Capillary Permeability; D004396:Coloring Agents; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D007208:Indocyanine Green; D017075:Laser Coagulation; D012169:Retinal Vein / Q000473:pathology*; D012170:Retinal Vein Occlusion / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014792:Visual Acuity
D004396:Coloring Agents; D007208:Indocyanine Green